Former Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Lawsuit After Contract Termination Due to Personal Convictions
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive legal demand totaling €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement based on what he described as "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
The 28-year-old, after placing fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, departed from Israel-Premier Tech shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced extensive pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
"I ended my contract with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances," Gee stated on his social media accounts.
He noted that his choice was not taken lightly and followed an irreparable relationship with the team's leader, in addition to major worries related to racing for the team from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues weighed heavily on his conscience, he mentioned.
Official Stance and Legal Proceedings
The team informed Reuters they were unable to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is currently before the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. The news agency also reached out to the governing body for their input.
Gee admitted that leaving the team left him without a contract or protection if he were injured, but stated it was a risk he accepted since he was unable to keep competing for the team.
Massive Claim and Team Changes
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I am now facing what is described as a financial demand reportedly over around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and a person."
He shared that this situation reinforce his view that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.
The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum during their racing years.
Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that they would undergo a complete rebranding starting in 2026, distancing themselves from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.
